So I have been dealing with this for about 2 months now. There are a few shiny red patches on the head of my penis that don’t itch or burn. One of the spots is a little sensitive when I run my finger over it but that’s it. I have been tested before and haven’t had sex in about half a year so it wouldn’t be from that. It all started when I took a shower 2 months ago and used a soap that irritated my penis. At first, my foreskin was swollen and very itchy and there was redness around the hole of my penis. Now, all of that is gone but the red patches and the cracks are still there. I’ve tried a few things so far. Coconut oil, hydrocortisone cream, and clotrimozale. Not all at once but I tried one for a week or 2 and then switched to the other. Nothing I have tried has worked. Sometimes it seems like they are getting better but if I masturbate, it seems like they flare up and we are back to square one. Any suggestions on how to get rid of this and what could have caused this? Should I just stop masturbating for a while or should I try a different solution? I’m 24. Thanks in advance
Brandon, irritation on the head of the penis is very common in males. What is naturally present on the head of the penis becomes irritated and then we notice something that did not look like it was there before.
The biggest source of irritation is soaps and other body cleansers such as shower gel, then there is the stuff many men put on their penis for sex and/or for masturbation - the skin just gets to the point and it cannot take anymore of the irritation.
If you have cracks in the skin along with the other irritation then this is quite severe - and yes, the masturbation will take you back to square one, until you get to the root of what is going on.
The hydrocortisone you tried is the best likely source of helping your skin to become better, and preventing any harmful chemical based irritants from getting onto your penile skin. Wash with water only and make sure you are 100% dry afterwards.
So, what was the hydrocortisone you were using? One week is not enough, you would get a better idea after 6 or 7 weeks, or even more. Perthaps the hydrocortisone is not strong enough - were you presribed this?
Thank you for the reply, much appreciated! I’ve been trying to avoid getting soap on my penis while in the shower and just washing it with warm water every day. The hydrocortisone I have I just picked up from a Walgreens nearby. It says “1% Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream Maximum Strength With Soothing Aloe” on the container. I don’t know too much about it or how strong it is but I got it a little over a week ago and have been applying it twice a day. Is there a stronger hydrocortisone cream that might help more or anything similar?
Brandon, because of a severe skin condition specific to my penis I need to use a steroid ointment almost everyday, or every other day. So yes, depending on the purpose, there are different strengths of steroidal ointments and creams and different classifications, again depending on the location of the skin and the severity of the condition.
So if I have this right what you currently have is: " the red patches and the cracks are still there " - so if you got the right steroid ointment the issues you have could potentially clear away in 3 to 9 weeks, unless there is an underlying cause, such as a skin condition similar to what I have.
Essentially, you need to have it correctly identified what it is you have going on, potentially, if there is evidence of a skin problem, have the appropriate test(s) for those. When this has been done you can then get the correct steroid prescribed for you, if that is the appropriate medication. Then you need to use such medication correctly to gain any, or maximum benefit from it.
My suggestion would be to see your regular doctor / GP, or if possible a Dermatologist …